house he said, congress is the place where we come together to speak the voices of america and it is the voice that is sound to cho through the world. i hope it is a comfort to you that so many people mourn your loss throughout world and are playing for you at this sad time. to you heather and to the foley family, thank you for sharing tom with a grateful nation. his voice will forever ecoin our hearts to all who strive to make a difference through public service. as we count our blessings as a nation, we know that god truly blessed america with the life of leader tom foley. [applause]

>> thank you all for being here. and heather, we honor you today. you were there all along guiding and ack anying tom across all the peaks and the valleys right to the end. e thank you for your spirit, your generosity and your example as h enlivened this house well as your own for many years. welcome back. inempty it ismous ironic he ran for congress in the first place. he actually did it in a moment of anger. the day was july 16, 1964.

the beetles had just returned to liverpool after their first u.s. tour. president johnson had recently signed the civil rights act and was on his way to a landslide victory that november. and a 35-year-old tom foley was having lunch in downtown spo can. a gifted lawyer from a prominent local family and trusted aid to scoop jackson. some mentioned to the guys he was eating lunch with he was thinking seriously about running for congress, not this time but the next time around. at which point one of his lynch companions bluntly dismissed the idea out of hand and said you'll never do it. you're like all young people. you think the party is going to

come to you with a tiffany tray and an engraved card and say please, we humbly beg you, run for congress. and that isn't the way it happens. people get to congress by wanting to run for congress. you've got excuses this year and you'll have excuses next year and the year after that. well, tom didn't like this little piece of armchair psychology one bit and he was determined to prove them wrong. so he got up from the table and walked over to the library across the hall, stuffed himself into a phone booth and called western union. within minutes a telegram had been sent to washington saying tom had just resigned his job and was headed to olympia to file for a run. then tom called his bank and found out he didn't have any money. his cousin hank had to loan him

the filing fee. and the filing deadline it was next day. o tom had no cash, no plan and virtually no time. but he had the smarts. he had a sterling reputation. he had the backing of senator jackson and now he had the motivation. and he did it and for the next three decades thomas foley would devote his life to the people of eastern washington's fifth congressional district with grace, intelligence, wit and a profound respect for others including his political adversaries and an abiding gratitude for the trust and confidence of the people he was . ected to serve

tom always looked the part. even his classmates at high school called him the senator. and i dear say if most americans were asked to conjure up the nadge their minds of a congressman, the man they would like to see would be him. to most people it seemed as though tom were born to serve here. and in a remarkable 30 year congressional career, he proved they were right. he proved that he didn't just look the part, he knew the part and he played it well. >> tom and i weren't on the same side on most issues. his faith in government was a little more robust than mine. but we shared a deep respect for the institution and a belief that working with the other side, particularly at a time of divided government is no heresy when it enables you to achieve

some good for the nation. that kind of comedy is sometimes viewed as old fashioned around here but that's never been true. the parties have always disagreed but it hasn't kept them from working together from time to time to solve problems that we all recognize. tom knew that. he practiced it. he took flak from time to time for being a little too friendly with republicans but i don't think he ever doubted the wisdom of his approach even in defeat. as tom often said, the first vote you need to earn is your own. it was a principle that served him very well. and it's one that i think says a theabout what the legacy of gentleman from spock can will be. we lon nor his service and his memory. may we draw all the right .essons from both

[applause] >> for nour years i served in the house of representatives for tom foley. during the time i served there he was majority whip. i also served with the man that would succeed spoker foley as speaker of the house, newt gingrich. newt and i don't agree on too much but when he wrote in last week's time magazine that tom foley was a pragmatic man, a person of great integrity and a genuine patriot, i couldn't agree more.

this is what speaker gingrich wrote and i quote i have nothing but fond memories of serving with tom foley. we worked together when we could, competed when we had to and fought for the national interest. i too have fond memories of my time serving in the house with tom foley. i offer my condolences to heather who as we all know has strong voice in what we want on in the house at least when i was there. she was tremendous, always there available to help us. and she was his greatest influence politically in his whole life. tom learned his practical style of politics from his mentors, senator scoop jackson and warren who will r both from the state of washington. speaker foley gained his prague natism from norm dick and others

as a member and then chairman of the house agriculture committee, one of the chambers most bipartisan committees. but i credit much of tom's down to earth neon nor to his western up bringing. he was the first speaker to the house of representatives to be born west of the rocky mountains. he cut an aopposing figure. he was a big man fizz clifment had this wonderful smile and great voice. he was always gracious to young members like me. one day i reflect back as we get a little older and we've all had that experience for most of us, you can't see like you used to. and somehow he didn't bring his reading glasses with him. and he was desperate. he was managing the floor and he couldn't see so i was the first person he saw. finally some glasses, i don't

care where you get them. i wanted to adhere to him wishes. i didn't care where i got them. somebody left them laying on a desk and i grabbed them. he was so happy to get those glasses because he just couldn't see and he needed to see. well, it was my honor and pleasure to find him some glasses to help him see that day. but a vision is where the country needed to go. .e always saw clearly [applause] ♪ ♪

>> heather, members of the family and president clinton and obama and all my former colleagues and friends of tom, my good foreign -- fortune to visit a few days before tom died. i'm so grateful heather for making that visit possible. we thought it was going to be just a visit of a couple of minutes and it ended up we were speaking for an hour about the

days gone by. not unlike so many others we had a relationship of over 40 years. we both were able to say our peace in an atmosphere of mutual respect, open mindedness and most of all trust. as i said in an article in the post the other day whrks tom became speaker, he suggested that we get together once a week and talk over the affairs of the house, one week in my office and the next in his. something that had never been done before. while we disagreed over policy and jousted with each politically, the meetings were highly productive because underlying them was the faith and trust we had in each other. we could talk about anything knowing that our discussions would remain private unless we decided otherwise. i don't think there is anything

more important in the relationship between political leaders than trust. never was that bond tested more than it was in january 1991 when i implored tom to bring to the house floor a resolution that steve of new york and i had introduced authorized the then president bush to enghage military action in operation desert storm to drive sa dam hugh sane out of kuwait. i was convinced that tom opposed military intervention and i know that a good many of his caucus were strongly opposed as well. >> it was an exercise of political courage and personal deesen si for tom to agree to bring the resolution up for an open debate and record a vote under those circumstances but he

did. we had one of the most spirited but civil and informative debates in which i had been privileged to participate in all my 38 years in congress. we prevailed and the final outcome that day but i would have been proud of the house and proud of our speaker regardless because the house demonstrated to the world that it was truly a deliberative and democratic body. tom and i always struggled to find common ground between our two sides when there were issues upon which we could not agree, we could at least use common courtesy in the way we conducted our politics. that isn't just good manners, it's good politics. but win, lose or compromise, the way we argue can be as important in the long run as the decisions we reach. i so admire tom's grace and

civilty. i also admired his understanding and natural culture of the institution. he was so dedicated to its preservation and protection. tom was chosen to lead the house in a very difficult time. through it all he was a gentleman of the house and a fair and honest broker and a worthy adversary. and maybe we both knew that our days were nubbed. we were too conditioned by our personal and political up bringing to assume that we had the market cornered on political sue peer r partisan orty. we knew there would be a distinction and separation between campaigning for office and serving in office. we were i guess pupe pills of

the old school. tom knew that a house member has three essential jobs, to deliberate, to debate and to be effective. he knew that if we wanted to be effective in the house you just can't go around shouting your principles. you have to subject those principles to the test of open debate against those who do not share those principles. but true debate is not possible unless the golden rule is applied which simply means that you treat your fellow members the way you yourself want to be treated. tom believed in that rule. and he practiced it from the day he came to the house and all during his time as speaker of the house. tom foley was proud to be a member of this house. i share that deep pride in this great institution and i guess that is one reason we were able

to work together. we both saw the house of representatives not as a necessary evil but as one of the great creations of a free people. on our last days in congress on me mber 29, 1994, tom did the great honor of inviting me to the speaker's podium to preside over the house while he gave his remarks from the well. incidently, that was the first time in 40 years a republican had been on that roster. when we stood side by side at the podium on that last day of the 103 reasonable doubt congress, we knew we were icons of a by goner ra. as we visited for the last time 20 years later, i think we felt good about that. we both took great pride in knowing we had made things

happen that we found good ways to solve difficult problems and make the house a working institution. now tom takes his place among . e greats of public service he is most worthy of a presence here. i know because of his great love for this institution that his spirit will dwell here forever. i only hope that the legislators who now walk through here each day so consumed by the here and now will feel his spirit, learn from it and be humbled by it. that's what i have to say in honor of my dear friend tom foley. [applause]

>> mr. michael may be 90 years old but he has the spirit of a man half his age and the wisdom

of one ten times his age. we thank him for those remarks. [applause] heather, i thank you and mr. speaker i thank you for giving those of us who worked with, knew and cared about tom the chance to be here today. i thank you for all you did to make his work possible and better. mr. president thank you for being here and vice president and all the others who have spoken before me. shortly after i was elected president i invited speaker foley to come to arkansas to see me to tell me everything i didn't know that was about to happen to me. which tom foley proceeded to do

in that calm, reare strained balanced lyrical way. lulled by ot to be bob michael's friendliness, that he was a very tough adversary but i could make a deal with him. he told me not to be intimidated mr. speaker by your vell cossty because you were a brilliant politician but at the end we would find a way to do business. in the end he turned to be right about both things. his leadership made possible . ings that matter to me a lot being president is a matter of trying to do what you promised to do when you ran, trying to respond to legitimate impulses that are coming out of the political system and trying to

deal with the unanticipated developments. and if you ignore any of them, you cannot prevail. and if you can't work with the congress, it's very difficult. tom foley therefore was pivotal for my andslide victory economic and deficit reduction won by one vote. that was made possible by the speaker and everybody else that voted for it. but also we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the family medical leave law, 20th anniversary of america core. they are part of the pillars of our sense of common citizenship. i've had republicans and democrats come up to me and tell me what a difference the family leave law made for them. young people who belong to both

political party who is believed in citizen service and participated in america corp. he helped make those things ossible too. and one of the things that i always appreciated about him and marveled was how he could be brutally honest in the kindest way. it is true as leader pelosi said that he had had a conversion of sorts on the whole question of assault weapons and because of an experience he had. but he was very clear headed. e told me when we succeeded in no small measure thanks for the leadership of senator biden and putting the assault weapons ban back into the crime bill. he said you can leave this in here but there will be a lot of

blood on the floor if you pass this. many of us will not survive. and i'll never forget the argument i had with him. i said tom i'm from arkansas. both my senators voted for this. i'm going to carry it next time. he said in four years, it's the same thing with your economic plan. people will see that it works and people will see they didn't lose their guns and they still got to defend their homes and go hunting and be in sport shooting contest but we will all have to run before they know any of that. we have enough uncertainty now. if you put that in there there will be a lot of carnage and i thought he was wrong but he was right. and he lost that election by 4,000 votes. i'd be a wealthy man if i had a dollar for every time in the last 20 years i have found my mind drawn to that conversation.

was it worth his public service? e had eight years of declining violent crime for the first time in the history of the country. we did prove that it did not interfere with people's second amendment rights. the price is high. what i want to tell you is, appropriate today, that tom foley, as nice as he was an civil as he was and as much as he loved his colleague of both colleagues, he was one tough guy. this is a man who took up martial arts in the 60's. now that i am there, i respected even more. he rests the broken bones and torn ligament's and everything. he was tough and he walked clear eyed into the house and we put

those photos together in the bill plett -- past. those of us who supported at least think america is much better off as a result. but he knew even in the spirit of bipartisan compromise, making difficult decisions was inevitable and not free. he paid the price. before i came here, i read all the letters we wrote to each other. that is a great thing about having a library. somebody will dig that stuff p. here is the one that means the most to me. it says the most about him. he loved being in the house. it hurts to lose anytime but it

really hurts if you are the speaker. he knew his district. it turned out way better than i did. t least 4000 votes better. michael talked about what they did on november 29, 1994. this letter was written to me on november 16, 1994. signed by tom foley and bob michael and nude gingrich. asking that the administration sent him the lame-duck session f congress, the legislation to implement the general agreement, which established the world trade order -- which i believe has played a major role in lifting more people out of -- ut of poverty. he was dying inside, heartbroken, and he still showed

up for work. he still believed the purpose of political service was to get the show on the road. i will never forget this letter as long as i live. tom foley had lost his seat in a district he loved. i talked to him about the wrinkles and curse of that district i do not know how many times. ut he was doing his job. i asked him to go to japan, just as i half the vice president to go to japan, for a very simple reason. they became one of our greatest allies and one of the greatest forces for democracy, security, freedom, and growth in the world. they had a tough time in the 990's.

i always believed the rest of the world was underestimating the japanese people, their brilliance, creativity, technology, resistant -- resilience, and i wanted them to know america still killed -- cared. when tom foley was there, they knew america cared. i leave you with this. i think they had a good time and they enjoyed it. i know he did. there were seven japanese prime ministers in my eight years as president. we are not the only people that have turmoil. the best politician was the prime minister. tragically, as a young man, he had a stroke. he endured for 43 days after his troke.

when he died, in a busy world full of things to do, it was something as -- of an anti-climax. i was appalled than i was the only leader of a major country o come to his funeral. i flew to japan so i can go. i liked him and admired him and thought he had set forth a direction that gave japan the best chance they had to succeed ntil he took office. at the end of the funeral, young japanese women appeared with flowers. his ashes were on a high wall totally made of flowers of the ising sun. everyone there went up and bowed to his ashes and put a flower on the table until thousands of flowers were there, reading a

great cloud. he was succeeded as prime minister by one of his close allies and the allies said this. tom foley and i stayed there for hours and then we went home and watched the rest of it on television until every person had put their flower there. a testimony to the importance of citizenship. and believing in the institutions of your country. the current prime minister said this of his friend. "i wonder if he ever grieved -- trained. if he did, i wonder what his dreams were carried whatever they were, i hope they all have now come true. did not know tom foley well enough to know if he ever dreamed or if he did, what he dreamed. i know when he sat with me that

day and watched the sacred experience, i saw the well of common humanity we all share across all of our interesting differences. e gave his life to our country. hope his dreams have all come rue. [applause] >> to heather and the family, to om's colleagues and friends, president clinton, president

mondale, former speakers, and those who preceded me. i am honored to join you today to remember a man who embodied the virtues of devotion and respect. for the institution that he led, for the college that he served alongside, and, most importantly, for the citizens he had the honor to represent. i did not have the privilege of knowing tom personally. i admired him from afar. but like millions of americans, i benefit from his legacy. thanks to tom, more children get a head start on success, in school, and in life.

more seniors receive better health care. more families breathed easier because they know their country will be there for them in times of need. all of them, all of us, are indebted to the towering man. i think, in listening to the wonderful memories that have been shared, we get a sense of this man. we recognize his humility. he often attributed much of his sets to good luck. he may have had a point. leader mcconnell told the story bout his first race. there were a couple of details that got left out. on the way to olympia to file the paperwork for his first congressional campaign, apparently tom blew out a tire. so he and friends hitchhiked to a service station to get it fixed. as they approached the outskirts of the city, they ran out of gas. so they pushed the car up the

hill, coasting into town just before the deadline. tom went on to win the race by a resounding 54 votes. there is no question there may have been some luck of the irish operating when it came to tom foley, as well as incredible stamina. what led him to make history as the first speaker of the house from west of the rockies was not luck. it was his hard work. is deep integrity. and is powerful intellect. as michael so eloquently and movingly stated, his ability to find common ground with his colleagues across the aisle. it was his personal decency that helped him bring stability and

order to a congress that demanded most -- both, and still does. t brings me to a final point. at a time when our political system can seem more polarized and more divided than ever before, it can be tempting to see the possibility of bipartisan progress as a thing of the past. old school, as bob said. it can be tempting to wonder if we still have room for leaders like tom, the environment, the media, the way districts are drawn, the pressures that those of us in elected office are under somehow preclude the possibility of that brand of leadership. well, i believe we have to find our way back there. now, more than ever. america needs public servants

who are willing to place from solving ahead of politics. as the letter that president clinton held up indicates, the history of the crime bill shows. we are sent here to do what is right. sometimes, doing what is right is hard. it is not free. and yet, that is the measure of leadership. it is important for us who feel that responsibility to fight for a cause to recognize our cause is not advanced if we cannot also try to achieve ompromise. the same way our founders sought

it. as a vital part of our democracy. the very thing that makes our system of self-government possible. that is what tom foley believed. that is what he embodied. that is the legacy that shines rightly today. on the last day he presided as speaker, he described what it should feel like to serve the american people in this city. he spoke about coming to work in the morning and catching a glimpse of the capital. he said it ought to give anyone a thrill, a sense not only of personal satisfaction, but very deep gratitude to our constituents, for the honor of leading us represent them. tom never lost that sense of onder.

as i read that passage, what he wrote, the first time i visited capitol hill, tom was speaker. i was a very young man. i was doing community work. i remember seeing the capital and having the same sense of onder. i think now about tom foley being here, doing that work, and inspiring what ultimately might have led me to be interested in public service, as well. when we are standing outside these magnificent buildings, we have the sense of wonder and hope. sometimes, the longer you are here, the harder it is to hang onto that. yet, tom foley never lost it.

he never lost the sense of wonder and the sense of gratitude. what a privilege. that he felt it was to serve. he never forgot why he came here. on behalf of this nation and the state and the citizens that he loved and respected so much. as a country, we have to be grateful to him. to heather and the people of great state of washington, thank you so much for sharing tom with us. god west tom foley -- god bless tom foley. god bless america. [applause]

>> mr. president, and to all of our speakers, thank you for your estimonials. >> in keeping with tradition i ould like to ask leader pelosi to join me as we presentmrs. foley with a flag flown over the capitol on the day of the speaker'staffing, and a copy of house resolution 383, expressing the house's sincerest condolences.

>> thank you, president obama, and president clinton. i so appreciate your coming to honor and celebrate tom's his life. thank you, norman dicks, and jim mcdermott. let me acknowledge congressman lewis and former congressman and republican leader bob michael, who both have always been great friends to tom and me. of course, i think senator harry reid and senator mitch mcconnell. for traveling a long way from

the senate to the house. [laughter] to remember my husband. also, i want to thank the celestial on joy from japan. anderson, plus, the diplomatic delegations, for coming. ioa special debt of gratitude to speaker banner for making this memorial service possible. without his caring and competent staff, this event would not have happened. when my husband was speaker, we had about one person who handled this kind of work. the speaker has been most gracious and helpful and i

applaud him for that. i want to say a few words about my husband. as you probably know, i work for him for years as an unpaid staffer. i did not plan to do in this when i married him in 1968. was sort of wooed in. and i remained for the full-time he was here. i should say i stayed here unpaid and it was a great adventure. every time i thought of leaving, he would suddenly assume a new position. it was a great good fortune of my life to be along for the ride and see what happened next.

early on, i discovered my husband was a wonderful teacher. david has written the nicest note about this. i think he was right on mark. i can look back and say that his father taught him about fairness, patients, and all the virtues everyone has mentioned today. there was a story that tom's father, who was a superior court judge, could sentence you to death and you would thank him. but when i think back, and what i thought at the time, is i am not sure where his judge got -- good judgment came from, how he

understood the limits of power, and there are enormous limits to power, that we must work together and how much courage he often displayed when defending what he believed was right. some of it must have been the result of his jesuit education and his experience as a debater. a friend of his is here who knew him and debated with him and told me that at 16, he was just a wonderful, great man, even though he was just a young man at that time. i never knew, really, exactly why he always knew the right thing to say and do. perhaps it was his honesty and his resolve to keep his word. i do not know. i think back on our almost 45 years together and i think of the long meanings -- meetings that perhaps best displayed his

ability to reason with people. one of them was in the old -- in the late 1960's. he had accepted the challenge of a man whose name i think was virgil. who was opposed to any form of gun control. he claimed thanh was -- tom was for every form of gun control. , agreed to appear at this forum at this local high school. virgil as in the newspapers, "i was able to attract -- i think he also wrote on radio and television -- an audience of about 700 people, tom stood on the stage 45.5 hours and

answered all of the allegations with the reasons i never would have thought of. there were from the triple -- bumper stickers waived about the hungarians i can remember him aying he was not for repealing laws that limited a citizens use of canons and rockets, that he did not think you were entitled to have a missing silo right there in the backyard of your house. at first, the audience was hostile. at the end, a fatal mistake was made. he asked everyone to stand up and then he pleaded for money to

pay for the ads. [laughter] people who were already standing, they just walked out. i have spent a good deal of my life overseas at this time. i was mesmerized to watch this. it was not like dealing with the pakistanis, or going to school there, were living in greece or egypt as i had done. it was something very different. i learned over the years, and i was able to see tom, reasons with all kinds of people and with all kinds of interesting arguments. you could always see another side to something. i got to see him in action with

presidents and politicians on both sides of the house and both sides of the capitol. he was somehow able to walk others through their demands and show them where they were asking too much and where they might be right. he was not afraid to take a position that a constituent or colleague might oppose and explain why. i can remember the power administrator who came to get more goodies, to be told it was time the pacific northwest perhaps limited its demands and look in other directions to get ore power. i am sure -- anyway. t the time, they agreed.

he was a man of principle not afraid to compromise. he believed there was honor in ompromising. when he nearly lost the election in 1980, he did not retreat to the life he enjoyed as chairman of the house of agriculture committee. as many would have done. instead, he became democratic with and started his climb up the leadership, the latter. and was appalled. i have gotten used to his position as chairman, and i was on good terms with the staff. suddenly, all of these people were going to lose their jobs. we could not take all of them with us to the with office. the budget was not that large.

so, i got used to it. then he moved up the ladder again and again. it would have been the easy thing to stay as chairman of the agriculture committee. i should have known this extraordinary man was destined for extraordinary things. i am afraid i have kept you too long. thank you so much for coming to salute the life of a great man. thank you. [applause]

>> dear lord, as we close our time together, send your spirit of tees and consolation upon us, who mourn the loss of the honorable former speaker of the house, tom fully. he was a glowing example of an icon of what it means to be a man for others. his decades of service to his home state of washington and to our great nation, will be long appreciated by those whose lives are forever blessed by his life classes work and dedication. may your injures come -- angels come to greet our beloved tom and those who mourn him here be consoled with the knowledge that for those who love you, everything is turned to good.

men. >> ladies and gentlemen, please be seated until the official party and family have eparted. ♪ ♪

>> on monday another former member of the house of representatives passed away, ike skeleton. he served missouri's fourth district for more than 30 years and was chairman of the armed services committee. he was 81 years old. next a brief look back at congressman skeleton receiving in 2006. truman award >> anderson politics and public

service was greatly influenced by my father's example when he ran for office and was otherwise involved in politics. i also received encourgment from other corners in what was a significant boost from harry truman. working as 2, i was an attorney in private practice and served as a special assistant attorney general in jefferson city. it happened to be the last day of filing for public office. my wife susan and i were in the attorney general's office when the secretary let me know that i had a phone call. it was truman's lawyer. he was on the phone and he urged me to run for congress. upon thanking him, i declined. a few minutes later the secretary rushed back in. the president was on the phone to talk to me.

that was a moment to remember. i declined once more but i later wrote to thank president truman for his telephone call. the truman library has my letter and his let tore me explaining why he urged me to run. when time came in 1976 that i did file as a candidate for the fourth district for congress which included then the city of independence, i was honored to receive the support of ms. truman. that seems like yesterday. so it's difficult for me to believe that i'm now serving my 15th term in the u.s. house of representatives. but i must tell you it is a joy and a privilege. >> a few days after congressman skeleton passed away members of the missouri dell congratulations came to the house floor to honor his life and office. it was led by missouri congressman cleaver. .e'll show the tribute

>> mr. speaker, two days ago what one newspaper called perhaps one of the gentlemen of skelton, died here in washington, and for the -- for those of us here in the missouri delegation as well as those involved with congressman skelton on the armed services committee, we are here to convey colleaguey that our .nd friend has indeed died

we who had the opportunity to know and serve with them are of by hisvery saddened unexpected death. was 81 years old. he served here for 34 years. onserved all of that time the armed services committee and of course becoming the chair of armed services. he was a man of great humility, a man of greatest tension, and was to be honored in two weeks at the truman library in kansas city. we think that he has been such a washington player in that we indeed had to stand up and express our pain over his passing. senator claire mccaskill is here from the other side, and we are

asking at this time if we could have members please stand for a --ute of silent reflection unanimous consent for the to stand in-- silence in memory of isaac newton skelton. >> without objection. >> thank you, mr. chairman. speaker, we have just observed a moment of silence for isaac skelton. ,y good friend, emanuel cleaver ike's good friend, senator mccaskill, clay and others who

are here from the missouri delegation, i want to rise with them not in a moment of silence but in a moment of tribute. we will perhaps have an opportunity to speak a longer time. many of us had the opportunity to participate in a memorial sort -- service for tom foley. tom foley was the speaker of this house.

to thisng was a luster congress. major owens was another whom we lost. people who made this institution a better place. ike skelton was my brother. he and i were sigma chi.

his son was a sigma chi. his father was a sigma chi. we had a very special bond to start out with. in addition, his first wife susan, who died too early, as mine did, came out and knocked on doors for me in maryland just on the road here. ike,e a special bond with also an extraordinary and great respect by the way he conducted himself as a representative of the people of his district in missouri. gave to eachhat he of us and the respect that he received in return. ,ow sad it is that these giants tom foley, bill young, ike skelton, and major owens, passed from this body, passed from this

is atbut how joyful it the extraordinary contributions each of them made to this house which we should revere and love -- the people's house. ike skelton was of the people, for the people, and certainly by the people. i yield back the balance of my time. i will be glad to yield for my friend. >> i want to thank the gentleman for speaking. ike lived in northern virginia when i was here, and i would see him many times on the weekend. when i saw that he had died, i felt very badly. think of what the gentleman said -- many nights as i was driving home, i would see the car -- ike skelton and bill everson. billcarpooled together, everson our public and member, bite from your side, they carpooled together. they were the best of friends.

ike was one of the finest people i served with. i yield back. >> i think the gentleman for his comment. i yield back the balance of my time. >> this week, health and human services secretary kathleen cifelli us was in front of the house energy and commerce committee. in her testimony, she talked about some of the websites reported problems and how they are being fixed. of also addressed the issue individuals receiving cancellation notices from their insurance providers. the hearing you can see in its entirety tomorrow at 10:35 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> john foster dulles had recently died when that super airport out in chantilly, virginia was being built. president eisenhower immediately announced at the airport would be named dulles airport.

for a while when kennedy took over, he didn't want to name it after a crusty old cold warrior, but there was pushed back from others. finally, the decision was made to name it after dulles. you can still see the film clip of kennedy opening the airport with eisenhower there, allen dulles air, and he pulls back a curtain, and behind the curtain is this giant bust of john foster dulles. that bust stands in the middle of this big airport. i went to see it while i was writing this book. i couldn't find it. i started asking the security guards, where's the big bust of dulles? nobody had ever even heard of it. it was a long process. finally, thanks to the washington airport authority, i was able to discover that the bus had been taken away from its place in the middle of the airport, and it is now in a closed conference room opposite baggage claim number three. i find this a wonderful metaphor brothers --dulles for how the dulles brothers, who

at one time had exercised earth shattering power and were able to make and break governments, have now been effectively forgotten and airbrushed out of our entire history. >> with john foster heading state and alan at eia, the overt brothers led both and covert operations for a good portion of the cold war. find out what the ramifications can still be felt some 60 years kinzer, sunday night at 8:00 on c-span's "q&a." next former florida governor jeb bush receiving this year's jack kemp foundation leadership award at an event in washington, d c --washington, d.c. washington, d.c. other guests included congressman paul ryan and senator marco rubio. it is an hour. you all are much more orderly

than my four boys at home. thank you all for being here this evening. welcome to the 2013 kemp leadership award dinner. i would like to introduce and have you welcome the speaker of the united states house of representatives, john boehner. [applause] >> hi, everybody. all right. thanks for that great introduction you just gave me. [laughter] welcome,here to say, and a lot of you know that i come from a big family.

if i had food in front of me, i ate it. i will cite you what elizabeth taylor told her fifth husband -- honey, i won't keep you long. [laughter] tonight too be here honor the memory of our friend jack kemp, and i'm also especially honored to be here tonight to welcome your honorary, jeb bush. my friend,o is somebody who i think he minimizes all the things that mizes all theito things that jack kemp laid out as his vision. on top of that, he is a pretty good golf partner. 40 years ago, i was just married. i was about to take over a small business. i thought i was a democrat. of fdr,p in a household

kennedy democrats, never really thought much about it, wasn't politically active, but during the 1970s, i had this epiphany. this epiphany was brought about by two people -- ronald reagan and jack kemp. it, ronaldink about reagan would talk about the shining city on a hill. reagan would exude all of this optimism. then i got to know were got to read about jack kemp in the 1970s. he was talking about an opportunity society, talking about low tax rates, trying to help everyone be their best in america. coming from where i came from, it all kind of resonated little bit. i've got 11 brothers and sisters. my dad owned a bar. i got brothers and sisters on every rung of the economic

ladder. the idea of an opportunity society was kind of who i was. over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, these two people, especially during the 1970s -- by the end of the 1970s, i was a republican -- i had a reagan bumper sticker on in 1980 during the primary. sorry, jeb. in 1988, i found myself a manchester -- in a manchester, new hampshire, if you will recall. , a lowlyry of 1988 state rep, business guy goes to manchester, new hampshire to my buddy jack kemp. i was at this dinner with jack and joanne. there were a bunch of these big- time congressmen. the next day, i got my assignment to knock on doors. i was assigned to go to the city dump. i thought, what the hell is this? i went to the dump because in

manchester, new hampshire, they don't pick up garbage. you have to take it to the dump. on a cold the dump day in february of 1988, shaking hands with all the people coming to bring the garbage, asking them to vote for jack cap -- kem p in a republican primary. [laughter] the thing about jack kemp, jihad vision. jack kemp brought a vision to our party and brought me a vision that has been with me ever since. that vision was the opportunity society -- welfare reform, lower tax rates, trying to help every american be the best they can be/ -- can be. to this day, i can't tell you the two political titles that i've had in my lifetime, ronald reagan and jack kemp. when you think about what we are dealing with today and the so- called vision of this administration of bigger government, higher taxes, the

benevolence of government, as opposed to the individual and trying to help every individual in america be all they can be, the contrast couldn't be better. i am here tonight to say, thank you. thank all of you for continuing to keep the vision of jack kemp alive and well. thank you for honoring my friend in his epitome, jeb bush, tonight. god bless you all. [applause] [laughter] >> mr. speaker, you know you need no introduction. i really appreciate you being here and sharing your words. we appreciate your vision. yes, mom. [laughter] it never changes.

your grace under pressure, mr. speaker, and your dedication to the good of our nation and the animus behind the kemp foundation, which is the american idea, is embodied in you and your work. what you just said a few moments ago before you came up on stage was, we need to take the long view. in this country, we have an incredible history. there is an incredible legacy that has been passed to us. i truly appreciate your grace under pressure. you are a great leader for this nation. we appreciate you being here. when we started this foundation four years ago in 2009, it was because of the promise i made to my father that i would take care of his papers. he had 400 boxes of papers that needed to be taken care of. my mom had a great idea. she said, jimmy, why don't you

call dr. billings at the library of congress? said, jimmy, can i answer question you did not ask? people wouldh answer questions i asked every day of my life. he said, the library of congress wants your dad's papers. that was the beginning of the foundation and part of my recognition, after working with my dad for eight years, that the ideas that he believed in and that he communicated so well needed a place to grow into the future. that's what the foundation is about. in theand opportunity future. you are going to hear a lot about it tonight. we are so pleased that you are here to share that with us. one of the key messages in which we all believe is the message of inclusion, that every child, every person is a child of god with innate value and intrinsic

opportunity. my dad loved george gilder. torch gilder has just written a book called "knowledge and power." knowledge is about capitalism. the capital of capitalism is knowledge. just think, all the resources in our earth where there when the neanderthals were walking the earth, but what has increased his knowledge. you and i are here because we believe that there is truth, that truth matters, and that this country, more than any other country in history, has been able to unleash that human potential. that is what we believe is the american idea. we are so grateful that there are leaders like speaker boehner, chairman ryan comments and some many others who believe passionately and deeply in the american idea, which is the human idea. that is why we are here.

we believe in inclusion, that it is for everyone, not for any special class of people. it is the unique idea that is captured in our founding documents. aren't we blessed to live in this incredible country where people can become whatever they want as long as they are willing to work? all wante country we to have. i appreciate you coming here to share in that idea, that belief, that hope, and those actions that we need to take to keep it so. it is always under attack and endanger -- in danger. i think you will agree that we have a wonderful nominee and a warty for the camp leadership award. governor bush, we appreciate you being here with us. the kemp family so grateful to you and to the bush family. it's interesting. back when my father served in

congress, i grew up in bethesda, maryland. many people ask me, where did you grow up? it was in buffalo, new york. why? the job is in washington, d.c. there is something that my mom understands better than any of us. the power of the personal. if you have ever met joe when kemp, you know she cares about each and every person she meets. in congress in the 1970s and 1980s, it wasn't a perfect time -- there is no idyllic time -- but one of the curators six -- the characteristics that i congressmen and senators coming to my mom and dad's house to talk about the ideas on a weekend. can you imagine that? representatives and senators were in d.c. on weekends. i understand that times change, impact onad a huge the power of the personal being

able to cross some of the ideological and policy divides. we believe that good policy ultimately makes good politics. [applause] it is why you can take the long view and continue to believe in the principles that have made this country great. we really appreciate each of you being here. i do want to recognize some of the current and former senators and members of the house of representatives who are here. if you don't mind, save for the ones who will be coming up on stage. i would like you to stand and be recognized. is ancal service honorable and incredibly important service to the country. our military heroes and soldiers, they are critical -- we all value them deeply. is alsotical service

incredible. it is not an easy job. they deserve to be held in high regard. tonight, i would like you to greet after you read the full -- we have congressman marshall blackburn,arsha senator bill brock, congressman steve gaines, congressman richard hanna, speaker bob livingston, congressman bob mcewen, congressman michael turner. if you would please stand and be acknowledged, and a fine miss anybody, stand up. -- if i miss anybody, stand up. [applause] this is a highlight for the kemp family. we have many kemp family members here. my mom and dad have 17 grandchildren. i'm not going to name them all. if you are a member of the family, please rise and be acknowledged. you, but to embarrass

my boys are in the back corner. [applause] kemp family members, rise. now i would like everybody else as d.c. washington comes to lead us in the national anthem. you see ♪y can ♪ by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪what so proudly we hailed ♪ at the twilight last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose rod stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ through the perilous fight ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪ were so gallantly streaming ♪ and the rockets red glare ♪ the bombs bursting in air ♪ gave proof through the night

♪ that our flag was still there ♪ spangled does that star- ♪ ♪ banner yet wave free ♪the land of the ♪ and the home of the brave [applause] >> not only did he belted out, but he knew every word, which was nice. [laughter] thank you, that was wonderful. i'm jennifer andrews grid i would like us all to bow in prayer. you asy father, we honor

god our creator and redeemer. you are mighty, gracious, and adjust. we humble ourselves here before you knowing that all of us fall short of your glory. we you. we are so thankful for jeb bush and his family, for then serving in our country. thank you for the whole wonderful bush family. they have been a blessing to us. we ask now that you give us winsome --e, give us wisdom, give us your guidance. in each of our own ways, we are leaders, whether it is on the ,occer field or football field

whether it is in an orchestra or community or in public service. bless this food to our nourishment. we honor you, god. in jesus's name will, we pray, -- name, we pray, amen. you may now start your salad, but while you are eating your salad -- when we launched the foundation, our first project legacy project. we were honored to have as part forhat a kemp chair political economy at the library of congress. mort is going to come introduce a video that we would like you to watch as you eat your salad. dedicating somort much time and effort to the kemp

foundation and the legacy project. ladies and gentlemen, morten contracted -- kondracki. i am here to invite you to kemp this video on the legacy project. it consisted of an oral history project that included more than 100 interviews with people who played with jack, played football with jack, and worked with him in congress at hud and other venues. of research i did at the library of congress, which will culminate in a clinical biography that fred barnes and i are writing, in which we have based onson to think, visits with publishers, will result in the book that will be published sometime in 2015. we hope that this will not

simply be a biography but will the and encourage and to the american political system of both parties, but a specially the republican party, to readopt the kemp spirit, which was always positive, optimistic, growth-oriented, passionate, and inclusive, idea- driven, big tent. jack spoke at the 1976 republican national convention and said that the republican party had to be about more than merely opposing what the democrats were imposing on the country. to developparty had its own distinct ideas for making life better for ordinary americans. it is a message that applies again today. policy, and urban policy, job creation, in energy

and environment policy, infrastructure, education, thering out how to cause median income of the average american to rise again, which it has not been doing, to reinstitute growth in the economy. he didn't say this, but others have said this, that the republican party needs an organization like the one that moderate democrats created after the debacles of mcgovern liberalism, the democratic leadership council. such an organization would develop policies, make a conservative philosophy relevant to ordinary people around the country and convince them that republicans have ways to make their lives better and make the republican party the opportunity party again that jack kemp always wanted it to be and also party of lincoln. there are lots of republicans around.

some of them in d.c., some of them out in the states. what they need is a gathering and aand a trumpet rallying center. the kemp foundation has the potential to be that organization. i hope you will find ways to make it so with your time, with your ideas, and yes, with your money. now, the video -- enjoy your salads. hold on your conversation until after the video is over, we would appreciate it. fix very much. -- thanks very much. [applause] >> no government has been able to do for people what people have been able to do for themselves when they have that opportunity. the american society as a whole can never achieve the outer reaches of its potential so long

as it tolerates the inner cities of despair. the american dream is not to make everyone level with everyone else. but two great opportunity for all people, to reach as high as their god-given potential allows. >> jack was a star from the day he walked into the house. >> i've always thought that it does go back to jack working as a football player and quarterback who had to inspire his teammates. there was a sense of inspiring us. >> there are no limits to our future so long as we don't limit our people. contracted.n i'm honored to serve as the first jack kemp scholar at the library of congress. i've also spent a good part of the last two years working with brian williams developing the cap world history project. in all, we have explored jack kemp's career.

what we have seen is the portrait of an american idealist, a leader with a passion for the competition of ideas and an absolute commitment to the power of the american spirit. we have also learned a few things about the qualities of leadership in triumph and advice -- and adversity. >> he used to love to play tennis. he's 52 years old. i should be able to beat him at 25 years old. we are playing tennis. he is just selecting his tail off. i don't know if i'm supposed to try to beat him or beaten. [laughter] am i going to get on the plane with him or not? i hit a drop shot. he goes flying across the court takes a dive, skins his four head and shoulder, and makes the shot in windsor point. i turn around thinking, what the hell is going on here? jack had two careers. in both of them, he was a competitor. he had to convince you what he

had to -- what he had come to knew was right. he had to convince everybody. 55 minutes in, he still hadn't convinced the guy in the third row. >> he would not leave the rope line. i would try to pull them all the time and say, we've got to go. of notd be in danger being able to hold our ground. he loved people. he would say, they went to all the effort to come out and see me, and they want to shake my hand -- i should shake their hands. jack's public career began in professional football, and carried him to the u.s. house of representatives, presidential primaries, and eventually to the republican ticket in 1996. as we spoke with the men and women who surrounded him during

those years, we saw common themes develop. among them, jack's steadfast commitment to the ideas he believed in. the 1986 tax like reform package. he thought it was a tax increase. i kind of agree with him and made it known that i wasn't going to support it. i wound up in the oval office with president reagan's same, if i can't count on the web, who can i count on? i was thinking, jack kemp got me in it. [laughter] what kemp brought was not only important for republicans. more importantly, he persuaded ronald reagan. that's what makes him such an historic figure in my view. side result of supply- economics, we restored our economy. we had a booming economy. gorbachev felt he couldn't compete with us economically. that was obviously what temp brought.

he thought he couldn't compete with us militarily because they were in such dire straits economically. csbelieve it was reaganomi that was key to that victory. jack kemp was instrumental in both our economic recovery and also winning the cold war. >> you talk about jack kemp, and one word comes to mind -- the cause. wherever he is, he will fight for that cause. he will work for that cause. >> it was easy to believe in the "cause" that he fought for because almost always it was the right thing to do. he really did approach life in that way. even when he didn't have the political support to do it, is a special interest group said, we can't fight this fight, he would say, i will keep going. he did that time and time again.

history's most effective leaders including jack's heroes abraham lincoln and winston churchill offered a vision of a future. four jack, that meant challenging what was wrong with the other side's ideas and extolling what was right and uplifting about his own. >> the purpose of a truly great party is to provide a superior leadership,ipled and a compelling cause. >> jack did not want to win negatively. he was allergic to doing that. he wanted to win positively. him told try to goad attack. it just wasn't him. >> there are always people afterwards looking for statements -- scapegoats. saying,ople calling me what a terrible job i did in the he didn't offend me

enough. it wasn't a personal reason. that was his style. this is something i cannot get my head around. here he is, professional quarterback, football player, in the most violent sport in america, and he's a competitor. he likes to win. yet when it comes to hitting somebody, he won't fit. how do you explain that? >> he was a quarterback. [laughter] they don't hit anybody. many fact, there were leadership lessons that jack learned in the nfl that set him apart as a political leader. jack was a happy warrior who inspired people to follow him. >he was still a person who brought people into politics. there are people who are republicans because jack kemp was a politician. going to dallas

to play with the chargers. we weren't allowed to the hilton in dallas. the owner of the team owned the hotel. they said, ok, the white guys can stay at the hilton, but the black eyes have to go to grand prairie. jack kemp said, this is not acceptable. either we stay as a team, or we don't lay. jack kemp was the guy that actually did it. we all ended up in the crappy as hotel -- crappiest hotel becaue kemp.because of >> the project is about more than looking over one man's inspiring career. it is about showing how pragmatic leadership principles can continue to be part of the american experiment. >> over the years, we did a lot of events together on tax reform. it kind of gave a very nice picture to have these two guys up there, won a football player, when a basketball player, one a

democrat, won the republican, and they were both concerned about the same thing. if there were any disagreements, which they're rarely were, they were openly expressed, but they were both headed in the right traction. people look at this and say, that's the way it should be. >> cap republicans exist. we can't be a 51% majority nation. the republican party has to be able to have a message for african-americans and hispanics and union members and inner-city folks. maybe we don't get it all right. maybe not every policy is perfect. if we are not constantly striving to have a message to communicate to everybody, we've failed. >> he wasn't constantly rerunning last week scan. that just wasn't him. and public policy, he was all forward-looking. it was always about the next victory. it was never about last month's defeat. never. >> last year he said to me, elections are about tomorrow,

not yesterday. >> we are going to ask for the americanf every single . boundless of opportunity crosses every barrier of geography, race, and belief in america. we are not going to leave anybody out of this opportunity society. vote, but get every we will speak to every heart. with word and action, we will represent the entire american family. that's what we must be all about. ♪

>> thank you for watching that with us. i know it brings a lot of wonderful memories to many of you who worked with him. mr. speaker, we know that you have places to be. you are good. thank you. [applause] i didn't know that i would have to excuse the speaker of the house. [laughter] this evening, before we get to the main course, we have a wonderful main course to introduce our awardee. i want to introduce you to a good friend of mine and the kemp family's. he is the group vice president

of the ford motor company, a great american company, and i will tell you that my dad insisted that he drive an american-made ford thunderbird throughout his congressional career. it is an honor for us to have ford motor company as a major sponsor of the camp leadership award dinner. it is an honor to introduce you president ofvice the ford motor company. >> thanks, jimmy. i'm with ford, but more importantly, i'm a former kemp intern. [laughter] [applause] you -- like this a lot better outside that mailroom. [laughter] i want to start by thanking the kemp foundation for their work in advancing the american idea of growth, freedom, democracy,

and hope. ford is proud to sponsor this great program. at ford, we have worked hard to embrace the principles of the american idea since our founding, from the moving assembly line that henry ford pioneered 100 years ago this month to our more recent decisions to forgo emergency taxpayer assistance from the government. [applause] that's why tonight is such a privilege to introduce governor jeb bush as we honor him with the camp leadership award. governor bush is uniquely suited for this recognition. his independent thinking, compassionate approaches to policy, and solution-oriented leadership values held dear and exemplified by the late jack kemp. bushghout his life, jeb has proved an exceptional leader in advancing the american idea to read as everyone knows, jeb bush was twice elected as the governor of florida.

during his tenure, he focused on real ways to improve peoples lives. it began with improving the state's economy. governor bush delivered on his principles, cutting $20 billion in taxes, building florida's global reputation for trade and investment, and reducing the state government workforce by more than 13,000. his limited government approach helped unleash economic growth in the state, creek and 1.4 million new jobs. most dear to his heart is improving education. especially those children to which opportunity has been denied. as governor, jeb bush transformed florida's educational system, which is why he is a go to mentor for educational leaders across the nation. as one of the most respected voices in the arena, governor bush has brought continued passion and focus to this issue through the foundation for excellence in education that he launched in two thousand eight. most recently, governor bush has been an advocate for more -- for

a more inclusive tone in the reporting party. case thatakes the immigration reform is vital to america's future, and also, it's the right thing to do. for governor bush, immigration isn't just a policy issue. it is part of his family's heritage critic his wife of nearly 40 years, colombo, was born in mexico, and they are the proud parents of three children. his family is the new american family. the thing that really sets jeb bush apart is that he is a conservative that stands for something, not just against it. said, ourmp once appeal of boundless opportunity crosses every barrier of geography, race, and belize. we may not get every vote, but we will speak to every heart. in word and action, we will represent our entire american family. each day, governor bush does just that. he looks ahead to what can be done to improve people's lives

and preserve freedom, how we as a nation can grow our economy and strengthen our democracy, and how we can do it all by working together. that is a noble mission. it is one so deserving of recognition at any time, especially right now. thank you, governor, for being a positive force for good and a beacon of hope. we need more of you. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thanks, speaker banner. he's gone! [laughter] i appreciate the speaker coming. he is a busy guy. to all the elected officials that are serving, we appreciate your service. i know it is not an easy thing to do. i'm so grateful for the temp family. we have been close friends for many years. joann, your beautiful as always. [applause]

it is great to see mostly old friends and some new ones. it is a joy to be here. and truly honored to accept this award. as i thought about preparing my remarks, i kind of had memories of jack kemp and his importance in our society and his influence on me. the work of the kemp foundation is very important. i am very thankful and grateful for what jack kemp has done for our country, but as i said, for the opportunity to know him, it has been very special. i miss him a lot. these days, i wonder, what would jack kemp to? as i watched the cable news shows, i wonder what he would think about the downward course our nation has taken under president obama in the last few years and the partisan gridlock that is paralyzing washington right now. i would love to hear his prescriptions on the big issues we face, how to jumpstart economic growth when the

majority party in two thirds of government is fixated not on growth, but on distribution of people's hard-earned money. i'm also locked into a pretty competitive family fantasy football league. i think getting some tips from jack with the quite helpful right now as well. [laughter] thankfully, jack has left an enduring legacy as a champion of policies that create growth and opportunity, and we can continue to draw lessons from his leadership or years to come. when i was running for governor in 1994, jack kemp was the first national figure -- maybe my dad -- the first national figure perhaps jack was the second national figure to come down to campaign for this rookie candidate. he was smart. he was charismatic. he was a tireless campaigner. he was a really fun guy to be around. preparation for these remarks, i went back and looked at some old photos. myself,picture of jack,

and margie kincaid in 1994. for some of you that know anything about florida politics, margie kincaid and her husband bill were pioneers in the local republican clinical seen dating back to the 1950s. we never knew how old margie was, but she was the chairman of the republican party in hillsborough county, tampa, for what appeared to be at least 50 years. theran the place like soviets probably run their political party. [laughter] i don't know. she was really tough. and that good looking brilliant jack kemp showed up to endorse me, she was on cloud nine. like a teenager at her first bieber concert. [laughter] jack's appeal went far beyond the republican grassroots where he had strong admiration and strong support. what was most striking to me was campaigning with jack kemp and places republicans don't normally hang out, which by the way i recommend to republican candidates. try it. you'll actually like it.

it is kind of fun to actually get outside your comfort zone. [applause] never forget going into a tampa housing project with jack kemp. he didn't like to talk little but than other politicians, i never thought of it the way that morton brought it up -- he wanted to persuade every simple person in that room, whether they liked it or not, that his cause is righteous. i will never forget going into this project, they have probably never seen a republican go to their place to speak. he ended up with a standing ovation. it had a lasting impact on me. the best way to campaign is first to listen, to learn, and then to persuade. if we have that is the process of campaigning, we are going to be a lot better going forward not only as a party but as a nation. jack's appeal was brought because he worked hard to be inclusive, to reach out to all people. he understood the power and the

necessity of successful communication and was not afraid to passionately presses case for a conservative governing principle, regardless of the audience. he knew conservative policies could and should be attractive across all races, across all income brackets, across all it is a because politics of aspiration and equality. we are a center-right country. conservatives won't govern again soon unless we adopt his example to get outside our comfort zones to listen, to learn, and to persuade. it is what he would do now if he was here. i think he would agree, we have strayed away from the politics of winning from the politics of opportunity, and from achieving the governing needed to compass the things. that is what we have been lacking. willnk jack's influence hopefully spread like a contagion all across the country so that we can regain our footing. jack kemp also lived the notion that a hopeful and inspirational

message would always be more effective than a negative one. have tried toate, crush my opponent and said some negative things. i never saw jack kemp's a single say ave and -- kemp single negative thing about an opponent. for a guy to be so successful in politics, never saying an unkind thing about somebody else, truly remarkable. [applause] right now, our nation finds itself struggling on how to realize policies that expand, not contract, opportunity for more americans. here are some deeply disturbing facts. of all american families either had no net worth or negative net worth. the average duration of unemployment in the united states is three times longer today than it was in 2000. the number of people on food stamps has grown from 17 million

in 2000 to 48 million this year. the number of people receiving social security disability payments is 10 times more than it was in 1980, even though the number of disabled is actually in decline. the percentage of people who own homes today is lower than it was in 1980. the same can be said for worker participation rates. today, in america, the greatest country on the face of this earth, if you are born poor, you are more likely to stay poor. if you are born rich, you're more likely to stay wealthy than at any time in modern history in the united eights. the anecdote is to restore the right to rise, the right to pursue economic opportunity and happiness. jack kemp discussed this change in terms of advancing universal values of the american idea, growth, freedom, democracy, and hope. i want to talk about a few policies that i think can do just that. first, our greatest vehicle for

reigniting social and economic mobility is education. every child has the capacity to learn. that means that the classroom is where we can create opportunity or end it. education is the great equalizer in closing the income divide in america, but that means every child must have access to a great school and great teachers. today in america, that does not exist. result in thes reverse. students who drop out of school without achieving a diploma are likelier to possess a lifetime dependency on government, likelier to be unable to provide for their families, and likelier to end up in our correctional system. education reform is the civil rights issue of our time, but dramatically raising the equality of education is also essential for sustaining our competitive posture in the world and securing our long-term economic future.

thankfully, there are proven reforms that are being implemented and growing pockets throughout our nation that we know work. the key to improving education is widespread embrace of higher expectations and higher standards, including the common court, more accountability, much more parental choice of every ,ind, ending social promotion this insidious policy that passes kids along without them learning the basic things and thinking their self-esteem matters more than whether they can calculate math or read. improving education was my first priority as governor. it was where my passions were. i guess it is the reason why i have been invited here tonight. i thank you for allowing me to be part of the movement to make sure that every child learns in america and that we rebuild our country in a more optimistic way rather than trying to redistribute wealth. [applause]

here is what i know to be true, that god has given every child the ability to learn. it is up to the adults, not just inside the system, but all adults to organize the system around them, rather than around the economic interests of the adults in the system who do quite well. if we did that, we would be far better off. [applause] of the debatech over our nation's immigration policies have been dominated recently by explosive clinical political rhetoric, the conversation has ignored the economic imperative of fixing a broken immigration system. we are rapidly moving towards an aging population, which means less productivity, fewer workers, lower growth, and an increasing burden on the next generation. i'm not sure that people under the age of 40 fully appreciate what is going to hit them, but once they do, they are going to

be a little resentful. we are going to have significant challenges as a nation. it is better to solve the problem today, better to solve this problem, and we have, as a country, one unique way to do it that no other country can do -- frankly, jack kemp anticipated this paradigm. "the national review" reflected -- recollected nearly two decades ago the work that jack has done. two decades ago, he warned, republicans about fostering a nativist, anti-immigration climate. unlike most in the world, the united states truly have a tried-and-true way to solve this -- immigration. as the number of businesses started by nativeborn americans has declined, businesses started by immigrants have soared bice -- by 50%. let's start with this in mind. if someone wants to contribute to america's growth, let's have

a system that lets that happen. roadblocks ande the bureaucratic nonsense, and let's restore as a key element of who we are as a nation our immigrant heritage based on the rule of law. i can guarantee you that we would grow significantly more. [applause] third, we must acknowledge our nations lack of a market-based strategy on energy. it is holding back our economy and our citizens. we are the most energy-abundant nation in the world. we have more than 100 years of supply of natural gas, billions of barrels of reserves of oil, and we are truly the source of foriration and innovation conservation, renewables, and for traditional extraction of energy. yet last year, the united states set out $300 billion with no economic impact to pay for imported oil. much of these billions go to

countries other than mexico and canada that either hate us now or are politically unstable and could quickly learn to hate us in a heartbeat. the most transformative development since the internet was commercialized is a combination of two existing innovations -- horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking. this domestic oil and gas revolution allows us to have a whole new host of opportunities to empower people to be successful and live lives of purpose and meaning in their way. we could industrialize the country with the lowest cost energy source in the world. we could reduce costs for consumers, as is happening. hundreds of billions of dollars each year now in terms of savings for lower power bills. we can create thousands of high wage jobs in the united states. we already know what the solutions are. many people in the room are working on this. i would encourage them to continue to do so. it is time we approve the keystone pipeline, for crying out loud.

this makes no sense. [applause] think of the construction jobs. think of the union jobs that will be created, high wage jobs to allow us to integrate and north american energy strategy that makes us energy secure within five years. it is within our grasp. we should have rational not ridiculous regulation of fracking. open up federal lands and waters for drilling in a thoughtful way. we should let market forces a real energy strategy could add an additional one percent growth over the long haul. one percent of additional group --a decade attempt rates great something like 5 billion dollars of recurring tax revenue for government at all levels without raising taxes. it creates a burst of opmi